Write Wigan off at your peril, warns Ian Lenagan

Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan has warned the rugby league world not to forget the Warriors when tipping Challenge Cup and Grand Final winners this year. 

Despite being the second most successful team over the past 10 years, Wigan are still not favourites to win any trophy this season.

The Warriors chairman hopes the media and bookmakers are wrong again with their predictions this season and although he doesn’t consider his side to be favourites, he warns others not to forget about the current Super League champions.

Lenagan said: “I don’t consider us favourites, I think you’ve got to look at St Helens as usual and you’ve got to look at Leeds, Warrington are very strong as well, what a nice way to be going into the season with at least four big, strong teams.

“I think Hull [FC] have been demeaned quite badly but they’ve still got a good squad, Catalans are going to be strong with the players that they’ve recruited, so it’s quite difficult to pick a favourite but all I’m saying is don’t forget Wigan.

“In the last 10 years, we’ve won four Grand Finals, we’ve won two Challenge Cups, we’ve won two League Leaders and a World Club Challenge and we’ve never been favourite at the start of the season for anything.

“We’re exactly the same again, if you look at the media and you have your own judgments and we hope you’re wrong again this year, but that is the background of 10 years never having been favourites, I hope we are in the future.”

Leeds are the only team to win more trophies over the past 10 years, but this season Wigan’s closest rivals St Helens are favourites to win the Grand Final and the Challenge Cup according to the odds of Super League sponsors, Betfred.